The present invention relates generally to a scale system for providing certified weighing service and specifically to a remotely attended scale.
Trucks and other vehicles are weighed on public weigh scales for commercial purposes including transactions based on weight and to compare actual weights to state limits of weight that do not require overweight permits or restricted access routes. Most states charge and collect significant fines from truckdrivers for overweight penalties to prevent harm and promote safety issues related to its roads and bridges.
While the maximum allowed weight varies, the common standard is 80,000 pounds gross vehicle weight. Weight is usually calculated in two measurements: axle weight, the amount of weight carried by each axle and gross weight, the combined weight of all the axles.
The penalties for a vehicle not falling within the weight guidelines that each state has in place for its road system are often severe. Therefore, a certified weighing service has been developed which permits a driver the ability to pre-weigh their load prior to encountering a state monitoring site. The certified weighing services are typically at truck stops which weigh the trucks after they have been fully loaded with fuel. If the certified weighing service indicates that the truck and trailer are overweight, the driver may respond by removing cargo from the trailer and/or readjusting the weight on the trailer bed. The certified weighing service verifies the weight of the vehicle and issues a certificate of weight to the driver. Although the states do not unconditionally recognize these certified weigh receipts, should the driver be in violation of a state's weight guidelines, the certifying company may pay the overweight fine or send a representative to appear in court with the driver as an expert witness.
These certifying scales are typically located at truck stops which have a staff manning them onsite or at freestanding stops which have a full-time attendant. Operating these certifying scales thus can be labor intensive and training intensive.
Another problem found in commercial certified weighing is that scales are not located in remote areas. It would be beneficial to the driver if scales were located in areas immediately before and after entry into a state that may have different weight guidelines, in less traveled parts of the country, or in places that do not have a conventional truck stop facility.
Therefore, one objective of the present invention is to overcome the problems associated with the prior art.
A further objective of the present invention is to provide a certified weighing service for a weigh site remote from a weighmaster.
A further objective of the present invention is to provide the remote weigh sites with at least one sensor to indicate the position of the vehicle relative to the scale so that a weighmaster may verify proper vehicle placement upon the scale.
A further objective of the present invention is to provide a weigh site in a remote location that may be verified by a weighmaster such that the weighmaster may issue a certificate of weight.
A further feature of the present invention is to permit a driver of a tractor/trailer or other vehicle the ability to process a payment at the weigh site to compensate the certified weighing service for use of their weigh sites.
A further objective of the present invention is to enable weigh sites to be located in remote areas that would have difficulties in providing an on-site weighmaster.
A further objective of the present invention is to provide a system which improves the quality of scale measurement by having a central location of weighmaster as opposed to a truck stop operator who may not be carefully monitoring the weighing operation or pay close attention to the scale's operation.
A further objective of the present invention is to be able to receive information from a plurality of weigh sites and to be directed towards a centrally located weighmaster.
Additionally, an objective is to enable the division of the workload of the plurality of work sites to a plurality of weighmasters.
A further objective of the present invention is the provision of a system and method which is relatively inexpensive to operate and efficient in use.
One or more of these and/or other objectives will become apparent from the specification and claims that follow.